Humidifier assembly

ABSTRACT

A humidifier assembly comprises an open top water reservoir pan in which is disposed a frame mounting parallel upper and lower rollers, the lower roller being below the water level. A motor driven drive roller is mounted in the pan, and an endless evaporator belt of porous polyurethane or the like passes over the rollers to move in a triangular path with the lower leg of the triangle passing through the water in the reservoir and the upper sections of the triangle disposed in the path of air to be humidified.

United States Patent [191 Yeagle Dec. 24, 1974 HUMIDIFIER ASSEMBLY [75] Inventor: Richard J. Yeagle, Hartland, Mich.

[73] Assignee: Skuttle Manufacturing Company, Milford, Mich.

[22] Filed: Sept. 21, 1972 21 Appl. No.: 290,808

[52] US. Cl 261/80, 126/113, 261/DIG. 15 [51] Int. Cl B0lt 3/04 [58] Field of Search 261/80, DIG. 15; 251/303;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,127,085 2/1915 Ohnemus 126/113 1,976,401 10/1934 3,370,403 2/1968 DElia et al 261/80 X 3,472,496 10/1969 Coleman et al..... 261/92 3,615,075 10/1971 Heiman et al. 261/80 X 3,671,023 6/1972 Seil 261/80 X Primary ExaminerTim R. Miles Assistant ExaminerRichard L. Chiesa Attorney, Agent, or FirmStrauch, Nolan, Neale, Nies & Kurz [5 7] ABSTRACT A humidifier assembly comprises an open top water reservoir pan in which is disposed a frame mounting parallel upper and lower rollers, the lower roller being below the water level. A motor driven drive roller is mounted in the pan, and an endless evaporator belt of porous polyurethane or the like passes over the rollers to move in a triangular path with the lower leg of the triangle passing through the water in the reservoir and the upper sections of the triangle disposed in the path of air to be humidified.

8 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures HUMIDIFIER ASSEMBLY This invention relates to humidifier assemblies and particularly to humidifier assemblies for use in conjunction with domestic hot air heating systems.

The invention relates more specifically to humidifiers wherein heated air to be humidified is forced through a moving porous water pick-up member such as a polyurethane pad. It is the major object of this invention to provide a humidifier of this type that is of simple construction, reliable in operation and easy to service and install in different locations.

In its preferred embodiment the invention will be disclosed as incorporated in an assembly wherein an endless belt type of evaporator pad mounted on a roller system supported on a water reservoir pan moves above the pan in the path of air to be humidified. It is an important object of the invention to provide a novel assembly of this type capable of ready installation in a hot air heating system.

Various modes of humidifying heated air have been proposed as may be seen for example from the disclosures of the US. Pats. to llg, No. 1,976,401; Geen, No. 2,967,050; Byrage, No. 3,021,831; Rice, No. 3,038,708; Martin, No. 3,315,948 and Coleman et al., No. 3,472,496. The present invention however provides a novel structural relationship of few parts neither disclosed in nor obvious from such prior art as will be defined in the claims.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel driven endless evaporator element system wherein the element is supported at least in part by rollers that are mounted to float to accommodate operational changes.

Further objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds in connection with the appended claims and annexed drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a relatively diagrammatic side elevation illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation view partly broken away and in section showing the disposition of the endless evaporator element and the rollers;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged generally perspective view showing the humidifier unit apart from its mounting on the air duct;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the humidifier unit of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a section substantially on line 5-5 in FIG. 4 showing detail of the humidifier;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary generally perspective view showing the humidifier unit of the invention in a different environment; and

FIG. 7 is a side elevation mainly in section further illustrating the embodiment of FIG. 6.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIGS. 1-5, a humidifier assembly 11 is shown in FIG. 1 as mounted on the warm air delivery duct 12 of a furnace 13. The return air duct to the furnace is shown at 14. The furnace 13 may be of any internal construction and no detail will be needed to disclose this phase of the invention. It is sufficient that the furnace be capable of discharging heated air, under control of a thermostat in the space to be heated, into the warm air duct. Similarly the return air duct connection is conventional.

As shown in detail in FIGS. 3-5 the humidifier assembly 11 comprises an open top reservoir receptacle in the form of a pan 14 adapted to contain water at a maintained level. This pan may be of light weight corrosion resistant or coated metal or may be a synthetic plastic element.

The bottom wall of duct 12 is formed with a generally rectangular opening 15. A relatively rigid pan mounting frame 15 is secured to the duct around the edges of opening 15. Pan 14 has a rim 17 around its upper edge and at one side rim 17 is connected by hinge formations 18 to frame 16. At the opposite edge rim 18 is removably attached to frame 16 by releasable latch means indicated at 18'. A removable drain plug 20 is provided in the bottom of pan 14.

Opening 15 is of such size that when the pan is unlatched at 18 the entire assembly will swing down out of the duct for servicing with roller 32 and the pad clearing the edge of the duct wall opening, water having previously been drained from the pan by removal of plug 20.

Mounted on pan 14 is a support frame 19 which preferably has its lower end seated on the bottom wall 21 of the pan. Suitable clips 19' retain the frame .19 in the pan. The upper end of frame 19 projects a material distance upwardly through the open top of the pan.

Frame 19 comprises spaced vertical upright members 22and 23 rigidly connected by a cross member 24, and preferably the frame is located parallel to the rear wall 25 of pan 14 with members 22 and 23 spaced approximately the length of the pan. Members 22 and 23 are formed with aligned upwardly open upper end slots 26 and 27, and with aligned downwardly open lower end slots 28 and 29 respectively. These slots freely rotatably and vertically slidably support stub shafts on the ends of vertically spaced smooth surfaced parallel axis rollers 31 and 32. As shown lower idler roller 31 is near the bottom of the reservoir pan and upper roller 32 is disposed well above the open end of the reservoir pan.

Rollers 31 and 32 are preferably vertically aligned and as will appear are capable of effective float and relative displacement in the frame slots during assembly and operation of the humidifier. The vertical distance between rollers 31 and 32 may be selected to suit the environment, and where the humidifier assembly is mounted on the warm air duct as in FIGS. 1 and 2 usu-' ally roller 32 is located adjacent the top wall of the duct.

A third roller 33 is mounted on the reservoir pan 14. This roller is located at a higher level than roller 31 but above the normal water level, preferably near but below the open top of pan 14. Roller 33 is parallel to rollers 31 and 32 and has a stub shaft 34 at one end freely rotatably mounted in a bearing 35 on the pan end wall 36. The other end of roller 33 has a stub shaft 37 extending rotatably through a motor mounting plate 38 secured over an opening 39 in the other pan end wall 41 as by screws 42.

A combination motor and gear reduction unit 43 of known type is mounted on plate 38 with its output drive connected to stub shaft 37. Motor 43 is thus located out of the hot air path and above the water level.

An evaporator pad element 44 in the form of a relatively wide flexible endless belt or band is mounted on rollers 31, 32 and 33. When motor 43 is energized roller 33 becomes a drive roller for causing belt 44 to be driven in its orbit. Belt 44 may preferably be a continuous sheet of porous polyurethane having a width approximately equal to the lengths of the rollers. In the assembly lower idler roller 31 is effectively supported by belt 44 and thereby it exerts tension smoothly con forming the belt to the surfaces of all the rollers, and this tension aids the drive engagement between the belt and drive roller 33.

As shown in FIG. 2 the evaporator belt 44 moves in an essentially triangular path, with a vertical leg 45 moving at right angles to the air flow in duct 12, an inclined lower leg 46 moving through water in the reservoir pan and an upper inclined leg 47 also disposed in the warm air path.

Water is delivered to pan 14 through an inlet pipe 48 terminating within the pan in a nozzle 49 having a cooperating closure element 51 controlled by a conventional float 52, whereby a predetermined water level may be maintained in the pan. This float controlled water inlet arrangement which is only diagrammatically illustrated may be of any suitable structure and mode of operation, such for example as that of Powers US. Pat. No. 3,099,286. An overflow conduit 53 extends from the interior of the pan through wall 41 at a suitable level, usually the water level desired to be maintained within pan 14.

It will be noted that upon removal of plate 38, the entire motor and drive roller unit together may be pulled out of the pan. Upon removal of the drive roller 33 the entire belt assembly may be removed from the pan, thereby facilitating replacement of a worn or clogged evaporator pad.

In operation, with furnace 13 delivering warm air through duct 12, motor unit 43 is energized to rotate drive roller 33 whereby the porous belt 44 is slowly but continually moved in its triangular path. The heated air passing through the evaporator belt sections 47 and 45 extracts moisture continuously, and this moisture is replaced in the evaporator belt as section 46 moves through the water in pan l4 and picks up water in its pores. Since the air passes through two sections of the pad high capacity is attained and efficiency of humidification is greatly increased. The water level in pan 14 is maintained by the float arrangement.

In some environments it has been found advantageous to mount the humidifier unit in the cool air return duct especially in systems where only a low level of heating is required as in Arizona.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show the humidifier assembly of the invention in a different environment, for example in a mobile home heating system such as disclosed in my copending application Ser. No. 249,788 filed May 3. 1972.

Within the interior of a mobile or modular home 61 of generally conventional construction is installed a heater or furnace unit 62. The home has a side wall 63, a roof 64 and a floor 65 spaced above a bottom wall 66.

The heater unit 62 is contained in a sheet metal housing 67 and mounted within the housing is a sheet metal firebox 68 enclosing a combustion chamber containing a fluid fuel burner 69 connected to a gas or liquid fuel supply conduit system indicated at 71. The upper end of the combustion chamber which is otherwise sealed is open to atmosphere through a flue 72 extending through the roof.

At the lower end of housing 67, the bottom wall and the floor are apertured at 73. A sheet metal casing 74, having an upper wall 75, extends in surrounding spaced relation to the firebox and through the aperture 73 where, below the floor, it appears as a conduit section 76 that extends horizontally in the space between the floor and bottom wall 65 to connect with a distribution conduit 77 connected to one or more floor mounted registers opening into the living space.

Within the upper portion of housing 67, a suitably mounted blower 78 of the centrifugal fan type has its outlet connected through an aperture in casing wall 75. Cool air is drawn into the blower intake through a louvered opening 79 and a filter 81. The air delivered by blower 78 passes downwardly over the heated firebox surface and enters the distribution conduit. Thus air is recirculated within the home, and the temperature is controlled by suitable conventional thermostat and like devices (not shown).

A humidifier unit 82 is mounted on the top wall of the housing by means of a sheet metal plenum adapter 83. Adapter 83 is rectangular in horizontal cross section and open only at 84 to the humidifier and at its lower end where it extends over housing opening 85 which is of the same size. The adapter is suitably secured tightly to housing wall around opening 85, whereby the adapter and the humidifier mounted on it are supported on the top of the heater housing.

The adapter 83 and its association with the furnace are preferably substantially as disclosed in my above mentioned application, and it here mounts the novel humidifier assembly 11 in the combination. Pan 14 is suitably secured to the side wall of adapter 83 below opening 84, and a hood 86 having a louvered opening front wall at 87 and a rear opening aligned with adapter opening 84 is secured on pan 14, as by mounting it on rim 15. Rim 15 may be removed from the rear side of the pan to mount it flush with the adapter wall as shown. The humidifier assembly, except for the hood, is the same as shown in F IG. 3.

Thus air is drawn through the humidifier hood where it picks up water from the moving porous water pick up belt 44, and this moisture laden air is drawn through the blower along with air entering through housing opening 79 to be heated and discharged to the warm air conduits.

Instead of drawing in air from the surrounding atmosphere, the louvered opening may be blocked and a bypass conduit indicated at 88 connected between the warm air conduit 77 and a side opening in hood 86, here shown closed by a knock out plug 89. This type of bypass is disclosed in my copending application.

In the foregoing embodiments there is no need for internal baffles to direct the air through the pad sections, as apparently has been found necessary in most commercial evaporator belt type humidifiers.

It has been found that the humidifier assembly of the invention may be used with even very narrow warm or cold air ducts by turning the assembly at right angles to the position shown in FIG. 2, whereby the air would enter an open end of the triangular pad. In this instance suitable internal baffles would be used to direct the air through the pad sections.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. A humidifier assembly comprising an open top receptacle adapted to contain a body of water, means for maintaining said water at a predetermined level, a relatively rigid support mounted in said receptacle with its lower end secured to said receptacle and its upper end projecting freely well above the open top of said receptacle, upper and lower idler rollers rotatably mounted on said support on substantially horizontal axes, the lower of said rollers being disposed below water level in the receptacle and the upper roller being disposed an appreciable distance above the open top of said receptacle, a drive roller rotatably mounted on said receptacle above said water level and below the open top of said receptacle upon a fixed substantially horizontal axis that is above the level of said lower roller and laterally spaced therefrom, an external motor unit mounted on a wall of said receptacle operatively connected through said wall to said drive roller, and an endless evaporator pad element mounted around and by said rollers, rotation of said drive roller causing movement of said element to pass a lower element section of substantial length through the water in said receptacle and dispose two water bearing sections thereof above the receptacle in the path of air to be humidified.

2. The humidifier assembly defined in claim 1, wherein at least said lower roller is mounted for free rotation and substantially vertical floating displacement on said support.

3. The humidifier assembly defined in claim 1, wherein said upper and lower rollers are mounted on said support in substantial vertical alignment whereby the section of the evaporator element therebetween extends substantially vertically.

4. The humidifier assembly defined in claim 1, wherein said rollers are disposed to define a triangular path of movement for said endless evaporator element, with one side of the triangle comprising said lower element section substantially totally immersed in the water in said receptacle and the other two sides in the air path.

5. The humidifier assembly defined in claim 1, wherein said support comprises an upright frame having slots at its upper and lower ends wherein said upper and lower idler rollers respectively are mounted for free rotation and sliding toward and away from each other and means is provided for removably securing said frame to said receptacle.

6. The humidifier assembly defined in claim 1, wherein said receptacle is a pan having means at its upper periphery for mounting the assembly over an aperture in the lower wall of an air duct with the upper sections of said evaporator element extending transversely across the path of air moving in said duct.

7. The humidifier assembly defined in claim 6, wherein said pan is provided with hinges whereby it is pivotally mounted on said air duct and capable of being swung down out of the duct for service.

8. The humidifier assembly defined in claim 1, wherein a hood is mounted over the open upper end of said receptacle so that the upper sections of said evaporator element project within the hood, said hood being formed with air intake and outlet openings respectively for introducing air to be humidified and discharging moisture laden air. 

1. A humidifier assembly comprising an open top receptacle adapted to contain a body of water, means for maintaining said water at a predetermined level, a relatively rigid support mounted in said receptacle with its lower end secured to said receptacle and its upper end projecting freely well above the open top of said receptacle, upper and lower idler rollers rotatably mounted on said support on substantially horizontal axes, the lower of said rollers being disposed below water level in the receptacle and the upper roller being disposed an appreciable distance above the open top of said receptacle, a drive roller rotatably mounted on said receptacle above said water level and below the open top of said receptacle upon a fixed substantially horizontal axis that is above the level of said lower roller and laterally spaced therefrom, an external motor unit mounted on a wall of said receptacle operatively connected through said wall to said drive roller, and an endless evaporator pad element mounted around aNd by said rollers, rotation of said drive roller causing movement of said element to pass a lower element section of substantial length through the water in said receptacle and dispose two water bearing sections thereof above the receptacle in the path of air to be humidified.
 2. The humidifier assembly defined in claim 1, wherein at least said lower roller is mounted for free rotation and substantially vertical floating displacement on said support.
 3. The humidifier assembly defined in claim 1, wherein said upper and lower rollers are mounted on said support in substantial vertical alignment whereby the section of the evaporator element therebetween extends substantially vertically.
 4. The humidifier assembly defined in claim 1, wherein said rollers are disposed to define a triangular path of movement for said endless evaporator element, with one side of the triangle comprising said lower element section substantially totally immersed in the water in said receptacle and the other two sides in the air path.
 5. The humidifier assembly defined in claim 1, wherein said support comprises an upright frame having slots at its upper and lower ends wherein said upper and lower idler rollers respectively are mounted for free rotation and sliding toward and away from each other and means is provided for removably securing said frame to said receptacle.
 6. The humidifier assembly defined in claim 1, wherein said receptacle is a pan having means at its upper periphery for mounting the assembly over an aperture in the lower wall of an air duct with the upper sections of said evaporator element extending transversely across the path of air moving in said duct.
 7. The humidifier assembly defined in claim 6, wherein said pan is provided with hinges whereby it is pivotally mounted on said air duct and capable of being swung down out of the duct for service.
 8. The humidifier assembly defined in claim 1, wherein a hood is mounted over the open upper end of said receptacle so that the upper sections of said evaporator element project within the hood, said hood being formed with air intake and outlet openings respectively for introducing air to be humidified and discharging moisture laden air. 